BN seeking postponement of royal audience with King

LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional is requesting for a postponement of the royal audience with the King and its 30 MPS scheduled this morning, according to MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.

“If can, we would like to postpone it to consider several issues. The Umno secretary-general has informed (the palace),” he told reporters after a late night Barisan supreme council meeting at WTCKL.

MCA secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon said the Barisan decision not to support Pakatan Harapan or Perikatan Nasional in forming the Federal Government still stood.

“We will not support any pact to form the government,” he said, confirming that Barisan was seeking a postponement of the royal audience.

Sabah Umno chief Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said there should be a “cooling off period” for MPS, and that no decision was made by the coalition.

“We need to cool down from thinking, we have 30 MPS here, we should not make a fuss,” said the Kinabatangan MP.

Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said: “When it doesn’t happen, then it’s postponed.”

The King had summoned all 30 Barisan MPS to Istana Negara at 10.30am today, with each MP to be given an individual audience with His Majesty.

The Barisan held two meetings last night, with its supreme council and another with its MPS.

Many leaders who attended were tightlipped regarding its agenda, which was believed to be concerning political developments following the coalition’s disastrous outing in GE15.

Leaders started walking in from 7pm yesterday, with MCA’S Tanjung Piai MP Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng, PBRS deputy president Arthur Kurup, Cameron Highlands MP Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor, Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein among the early arrivals.

Towards 8pm, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, Bung Moktar, Barisan communications director Datuk Seri Shamsul Annuar Nasarah, MIC president Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran and Saravanan started arriving.

Security was also tight, as guards were strict about those attending the meeting on the eighth floor.

Guards even refused entry to the security officers of MPS and even requests to bring up drinks to the meeting were refused.